


Promises

by Takada_Saiko



Series: Fallen [7]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Birthdays, Drawing, Fluff, Gen, Pre-Series, little Waverly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 19:22:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12019362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Takada_Saiko/pseuds/Takada_Saiko
Summary: Waverly shows Bobo her drawings and asks him to make her a promise.





	Promises

**Promises**

 

The day was closer to its end than its beginning, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows and the breeze was showing signs of turning cool across the Ghost River Triangle. It kicked up unexpectedly, always from the same direction as Bobo Del Rey broke from where he had been keeping to the tree line and moved into the open field. He was later than he intended and he wondered if she'd still be waiting.

She was, and he found her perched on the fence that marked the line between the Earp Homestead and the land beyond. She was bent over, a board or something in her lap, and she was scribbling away as he approached, completely unaware of anything around her. A stray twig crunched under his heavy boot and she looked up, a bright smile flashing across her face. "Bobo!"

Bobo suddenly had the youngest Earp sister launching herself at him, feet barely touching the ground as she leapt from the fence, and he took a knee to get down to her level. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he felt her bury her face into the fur-lined collar of his jacket. "Where've you been?" she asked, pulling back and turning the best glare she could muster on him.

He offered her a quirked smile. "Miss me?"

"No," she huffed and hugged him again, her actions countering the words.

"Not sure I believe you."

She grinned at him, but released him abruptly as the wind kicked up again and her papers that she had been working on scattered. Waverly leapt for them, chasing after the fleeing project. Bobo moved as well, his longer stride and curse-enhanced reflexes helping him head off some of the papers that had blown a bit further with the gust.

They were drawings, he realized as his fingers closed around a set. Crayon drawings, but not half bad for a little girl her age. Scribbled in her childish handwriting were names. _Mama_. _Daddy_. _Wynonna_. _Willa_.

In every drawing there were smiles all around except when it came to the drawings Waverly had done of herself. As Bobo flipped through the handful of pictures he saw the same, drawing after drawing.

A small huff drew his attention as the youngest Earp sister flopped dramatically on the ground next to the fence, papers crumbled in her hands and she set to straightening them out. He settled next to her, his back pressed against one of the posts, and he watched quietly as she worked.

"I can't find yours," she said after a minute.

"Mine?"

"Uh-huh."

He hadn't seen another one escape, but that didn't mean it hadn't laid itself out somewhere until the next gust of wind picked it up and gave away its position. "These are good," he prompted, choosing one from her stack. It was of all three girls and Ward standing around what looked like a table with a big cake on it, _Happy Birthday_ scrawled across so that the letters were actually longer than the cake itself. Two little girls with _Wynonna_ and _Willa_ written next to them wore little hats, like some sort of party, and even Ward had one on. Little drawing Waverly stood apart without a hat. "Where's yours?" Bobo asked, catching her gaze.

Waverly ducked her head. "I don't get birthday parties."

He wouldn't claim to know a great deal about little girls and what was normal and what wasn't, but even Bobo knew that birthday parties were something that most children had these days. Especially if their sisters did.

"But Willa and Wynonna do?"

"Daddy remembers theirs."

Bobo felt his temper flare at the meaning behind the words and pulled in a breath to steady himself before his anger showed too clearly in front of the little girl. Ward Earp was a special kind of bastard sometimes. At least Bobo had an excuse for the cruelties he dealt out. Hell burned the good right out of a man, but even he didn't take out his own disdain on a child that had no choice in the matter. Waverly might not be Ward's biologically, but there was no reason she should ever have to know that. It was no wonder she preferred spending time out with him rather than with her family.

"Look!"

Waverly's voice brought him out of his seething thoughts and he saw her leap up, chasing after the stray drawing. He held it up triumphantly when she caught it and the sadness was pushed back for a little while longer. She shoved it in his face. "It's for you," she told him cheerfully. "See? It's you and me."

There were no names on this one and Bobo's lips quirked up at the corners at the sight of a smiling Waverly in the drawing. It was the first one he'd seen her smiling in and she looked so proud of herself. This little girl was far too pure to be Ward's anyway. Clever and sweet, open and honest. She really was the goodness left in the world.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"I love it."

"Good." She settled herself back down next to him, leaning up against him. There was no hesitation to trust him and he wrapped an arm around her. "You know what I want for my birthday, Bobo?"

"What's that, Angel?"

He felt her nestle in closet. "You."

"You got me," he swore softly.

"Always?"

He loosed a short breath through his nose. She couldn't possibly understand what always meant for someone - _something_ \- like him. She was looking at him though, with all the wonder and hope a child could muster, and he didn't think he could deny her anything. "As long as you want me, Angel."

She untangled herself from him and stood up, brushing her jeans off before extending her tiny hand. "Promise?"

Well, at least Ward had taught the kid one thing right. Bobo chuckled as he straightened, reaching his own much larger hand out to take hers. "Man's word is all he's got," he said and they shook, the promise sealed between them.

* * *

Notes: I'm having more fun than I should be allowed to have with this little series, and honestly, amidst all the betrayal and the heartache and the suffering, baby Waverly is such a breath of fresh air both to write and for poor Bobo here. Originally I was going to follow this up with a small scene of either Waverly thinking back while staring at the closed off well or Bobo remembering it from inside the well and trying to fight Clootie and losing, but then I decided I didn't want to ruin the happy fluff.

I need these two to be close again. Desperately, desperately need it.


End file.
